


Taken For Granted

by Creed Cascade (creedcascade)



Series: Steadfast Verse [2]
Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: Angst, Codependency, Established Relationship, Leadership, Loyalty, M/M, Stress Relief
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-21
Updated: 2011-12-21
Packaged: 2017-10-27 15:47:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/297471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creedcascade/pseuds/Creed%20Cascade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim is settling into his role as heroic Captain, but success has its price.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Taken For Granted

Jim ignored the standard Starfleet schedule when it came to his own agenda. Officially Jim had two six hour split shifts on the bridge each day. The split shifts were designed to bookend with his First Officer, assuring that there was always a senior commanding officer on the bridge. In reality Jim spent up to or more than sixteen hours a day on the bridge or wandering around the Enterprise to acquaint himself with every inch of his ship and her crew.

On his daily rounds of his ship, he made his crew not only trust him, but genuinely like him using his charm. He flirted shamelessly with the crew who were comfortable with it and made the others smile with jokes. What seemed to be banter was his way of gathering information and informally assessing his crew. Despite his reputation, Captain James T. Kirk did not cross the line with his crew and had developed his own morality. He was insanely protective of the men, women, and aliens under his command, even from his own lusts. Jim did not sleep with anyone under his command. He never let familiarity develop into intimacy.

His other rule was to aggravate his first officer. In their limited down time, Jim and Spock had begun to play chess together. Spock said it was only logical that the Captain and First Officer keep the appearances of civility for the confidence of the crew.

The crew of the Enterprise had been battle tested before they even finished Starfleet Academy. With their peers fallen in the battle, Starfleet let the surviving cadets who wanted to stay in active service stay aboard the Enterprise. Jim had fought for Pavel Chekov to stay onboard when Starfleet Command balked at someone of his tender age in active service. Following the heated debate with Command, Spock had not rebuked Jim, but rather seemed to approve of his loyalty to his crew.

Slowly, but surely, the crew of the Enterprise was witnessing the evolution of Spock and Kirk’s relationship. It was a professional relationship based on directness, trust, and mutual respect. Jim still made a point of irritating Spock with a smirk plastered on his face. Spock answered back with verbal jibs that could be interpreted as sarcastic and biting if you believed a half-Vulcan was capable of such emotions. Spock for his part made a point of bringing Jim’s extensive flaws to his view, saying that self-reflection was key to self-improvement.

Watching them interact was like watching two alpha dogs circle a bone, sizing one another up. Jim was instinctual and passionate, where Spock was logical and cunning. The crew said they balanced each other out. McCoy didn’t say anything, but kept his distance.

Jim’s life had changed, newly filled with the Enterprise, his crew, and Spock. Some days Jim was reluctant to let anything, even sleep, take him from his new life. Jim was so enamoured with his new responsibilities that he had been neglecting the one relationship that had gotten him there in the first place.

++++++

With the excitement of the battle over, McCoy had to deal with the fact that he had eager, but inexperienced staff. His nurses still flinched when he barked orders. The few doctors under his command were still wet behind the ears in his opinion and straight out of medical school. The disorder from his personal life never affected his professional life. His medical bay was meticulously ordered and he demanded the best from himself, and his staff. With no hobbies to speak of and no one to come home to, he pretty much lived in sickbay. There were some nights he fell asleep in his office chair.

“Damn regulations, procedures, policies, and restrictions. I’m a doctor, not a bureaucrat,” he muttered to an empty room.

McCoy rubbed his eyes and had to blink a few times to stop the words on his datapad from being unfocused. He had never been an overly ambitious man. When he entered Starfleet Academy, it had seemed like his only option. He never wanted to be the Chief Medical Officer of the Starfleet’s newest flagship. The politics of command were useless to him, along with the red tape of his position.

The computer chimed that someone was at his office door. Not looking up from the datapad detailing requisitions of medical equipment, McCoy barked, “What?”

“Good evening, Doctor McCoy.”

McCoy’s expression naturally fell into a scowl when he heard the irritating civility of Spock’s voice. He noticed that Spock had come into his office without being asked and closed the door behind him. The bastard subtlety never let McCoy forget that he outranked the Chief Medical Officer.

“What do you want, Mr. Spock?”

Unfazed by McCoy’s snappish demand, Spock stood in front of the doctor’s desk with his arms clasped behind his back. “I believe now it is an opportune time to have a needed discussion with you.”

“Opportune time?” McCoy huffed. He waved his hand at the datapad. “For you maybe, but I have…”

“It’s about the Captain.”

McCoy was already standing up and stepping towards the door. “What’s wrong with Jim? Why didn’t anyone notify me…”

“Please sit, Doctor,” Spock said. “The Captain is in no immediate danger. This is a conversation that is paramount between his First Officer and CMO. An inevitable conversation, really.”

McCoy sat back down and frowned at Spock. “I don’t care what you deem paramount. As Jim’s friend and doctor, I don’t discuss his personal matters.”

“This matter directly pertains to his command of the Enterprise.”

“You had better not be questioning his ability to lead.”

“I am not,” Spock answered. “Your loyalty is expected, Doctor, and commendable. That being said, I believe we must accept that the Captain has certain weaknesses. One being his own indifference to his personal health and welfare.” Spock took McCoy’s silence as reluctant agreement and continued on. “It is our duty to support the Captain and assure he is fit for duty in all capacities.”

“Are you accusing me of doing otherwise?”

“No,” Spock assured McCoy. “Quite the opposite. I know that in addition to your own duties that you have continued your informal practices established in the Academy of monitoring and providing for your friend.”

McCoy’s hands folded into fists. “That’s none of your business.”

McCoy had thought he was subtle in the ways he acted as Jim’s keeper. Sure he hounded on Jim from time to time, but otherwise, he had other avenues of assuring Jim took care of himself. The Captain had the habit of forgetting to eat, so McCoy had arranged for a particularly easy-on-the-eyes Ensign assigned to the mess hall to bring Jim meals on the bridge. She would send McCoy a weekly report of any meals Jim missed or food he refused to eat. If it was a particularly stressful time, McCoy would have a plate of Jim’s favourites sent to the Captain’s quarters. There was a time McCoy would have taken the tray back to his own quarters, expecting Jim to show up and rant about his stressful shift. In the Academy McCoy had quickly learned to take double portions because Jim would steal from his tray.

These days Jim coming by his quarters was a rarity as he settled into his role as Captain. Used to sharing quarters with Jim in the Academy, McCoy was finding the quietness of his solitary quarters unsettling. He would never admit it, but he missed Jim’s disorder and complete lack of respect for McCoy’s personal space. Most of all McCoy missed Jim in his bed. But, more so, he missed the intimacy and companionship of their friendship.

They hadn’t spoken of it, but things had changed in the aftermath the battle. There was barely time to breathe, let alone miss the way things had been. McCoy took the changes stoically, reminding himself he had known what he shared with Jim had been fleeting. He knew the young man would eventually move on and outgrow him. Jim simply did not need him the way he used to and McCoy tried to ignore the part of him that greatly mourned that loss.

Spock was putting McCoy on edge. The raised eyebrow spoke to McCoy, whispering, ‘I know’.

“If the Captain is not careful, he will suffer from exhaustion,” Spock said.

In layman’s terms… burnout. Jim was currently consumed by the Enterprise. He was so worried that Command could take it away that he overcompensated, trying to be the perfect Captain. Jim was trying to live up to the legacy of his dead father and the expectations of being everyone’s hero. The adulation appeared to quell some of Jim’s deep seated insecurities and McCoy was proud of him. Jim was meant for great things and sometimes inconsequential people were left behind in the wake of destiny.

McCoy was familiar with the pattern in Jim’s behaviour. Jim would push mentally, physically, and emotionally until he just shut down. More than once McCoy had collected Jim from a bar as he could barely stand after a night of drinking, debauchery, and fighting. That being said, he was equally likely to find Jim face down on a desk after staying up all night studying something that interested him like battle strategies. Jim suffered regularly from sleep deprivation and the old way of dealing with it had been to drag Jim back to McCoy’s bed, pinning him down and fucking him. Jim was more conducive to sleep after sex.

“You have a successful way of cajoling the Captain…”

“Motivating,” McCoy snapped the correction. “I don’t cajole anyone.”

“Mere semantics. You have the aptitude for managing the Captain. It was a pattern established back in the Academy that I hold should be re-established.”

“Jim’s a big boy. He knows how to take care of himself.”

“I do not concur, Doctor,” Spock said, shaking his head. “As I stated previously, the Captain is irresponsible when it comes to seeing to his own welfare. I thought it more favourable to seek your advice informally before I should be forced to report him. It would be unwise if the Captain put himself into a position where he is unfit for duty.”

“Are you threatening, Jim? Because, that would be a mistake.” McCoy growled and stood up abruptly. “I wouldn’t put it past you, though. If you want your own ship, then get another one. The Enterprise is his.”

“You misinterpret my intentions, Doctor. Apparently, I must speak more plainly.” Spock’s expression did not change from its neutrality at McCoy’s rant. “This is off the record. I know about the sexual nature of your relationship with the Captain and the extent of your sentiments for him. The fraternization regulations did not apply in your previous capacity as cadets, as he did not outrank you. Given the pre-exiting depth of your acquaintance, one could interpret the regulations to not be applicable to your current situation.”

“Screw regulations and screw your uptight…”

“Doctor,” Spock raised his voice slightly. “I am not judging you, or the nature of your relationship with the Captain. I have assessed the state of affairs, determining that the Captain is better off with you on board and under your care.”

“You’re cheating…”

“I am not. Simply, reassessing. Human morality and affections are not logical.”

McCoy blinked at Spock and his mouth gapped a little. If he was interpreting what the half-Vulcan was saying, then Spock was encouraging his relationship with Jim. It was counter to everything he thought he knew about Spock.

McCoy squeezed the bridge of his nose. “It would be easier to hit you rather than try to reason with you.”

“That strategy is one you favour with the Captain, not me.”

McCoy had learned that particular dry tone of Spock’s was close to amusement. “I shouldn’t be surprised at this. You’re not in a position to judge Jim considering you’re knocking boots with Uhura.”

Spock’s stance straightened considerably. “We are not here to discuss Lieutenant Uhura.”

McCoy barked a chuckled. “You’re whipped.”

Now it was Spock scowling at McCoy. “If anyone is under the control of another, it is you with the Captain.”

“Yeah, yeah,” McCoy said. He was suddenly in a better mood seeing Spock uncomfortable. “Tell me something I haven’t heard before. I’m not going to bitch about being in Jim’s shadow. I know I’m my own man, thank you very much.”

McCoy and Spock stood in front of one another, staring each other down and neither giving way. Thinking of Jim’s future was finally what urged McCoy to give in.

“I think we can come to an understanding, Mr. Spock.” McCoy strummed his fingers on the desk, if only to keep from punching Spock. “If you notify me confidentially when you’re concerned about Jim, then I’ll take care of him. You stay out of my business, and I’ll keep out of yours.”

Spock was silent for a few moments, pondering the offer. “That is acceptable to me.”

“Fine,” McCoy snapped. “Get out of my office. This conversation never happened. I’ll deny it if Jim ever asks.”

“Doctor… one other subject concerning the Captain that should be addressed. Despite my reservations, he is growing into leadership, however unconventional. I have observed his inappropriate invitations and comments, but the Captain has not had any sexual encounters with any of his crew to my knowledge.”

“You’re out of line, Spock!”

“Perhaps,” Spock agreed with a nod. “But, I am learning serving with Captain Kirk requires more candour to avoid, or maybe, delay an inevitable debacle. There is no point in pretending that he has anything but an amorous nature and inclination to certain proclivities. If he does not find an appropriate outlet, then I fear…” Spock stopped when McCoy stepped threateningly closer. “Perhaps I should consider this the first situation of our new understanding? Doctor McCoy, I trust you will see to all of the Captain’s needs.”

“Get out!” McCoy barked and pointed at the door.

Spock nodded once more, and that came off more of a dismissal of McCoy than the other way round. The phrase that kept repeating in McCoy’s mind was ‘appropriate outlet’. He knew his friendship with Jim was genuine, but the sexual part of it meant more to him than Jim. He never kidded himself otherwise. Jim tried to use sex to get what he wanted from McCoy. It had taken over a year for Jim to realize that he didn’t need sex to simply get close to his friend. After three years, McCoy didn’t need a blowjob to give in when a crushed look on the kid’s face was enough to make him endanger everything by bringing him onboard the Enterprise.

McCoy sat down in his chair, tilting it back and rubbing his hands over his face. He was disgusted with himself that he had been reduced to an ‘appropriate outlet’. After his divorce, he promised he would never let himself be treated like that again. Losing his daughter and having his marriage fall apart had nearly destroyed him. His ex-wife had never forgiven him for Joanna’s death. After they buried their daughter, she had lashed out by cheating and openly flaunting it in his face. Maybe he had wanted to punish himself and that’s why he stayed married to her despite the infidelity. McCoy thought of himself as a weak, pathetic man when it was her who finally left him, taking everything. He never fought the divorce, giving her everything in his guilt at Joanna’s death.

But, now it wasn’t guilt that kept him with Jim. He was still weak and pathetic, unable to give up the little he had with Jim.

++++++

Getting off his double shift, McCoy wanted nothing more than to collapse into bed. The buzz of his communicator interrupted those plans. The moment he heard Spock’s voice he was assured of two things: it was a secure channel and Jim needed him.

“Doctor, the Captain is in need of your attention. Something extra-ordinary has vexed him in the past few days. He has become intolerable.”

McCoy was being called upon to be his Captain’s keeper. Every other time Spock had called him in the past few weeks, the tone and phrasing had been different. McCoy had learned, ‘Doctor, the Captain has served over his scheduled shift’ meant ‘The Captain is exhausted, please come and harass him until he retires’. ‘Doctor, we require you on the bridge’ was the most common summons. It generally meant ‘Doctor, the Captain is being an unreasonable, illogical asshole.’ Either Spock wanted him to calm Jim down, argue with him until Jim saw reason, distract him, or any combination thereof. Apparently when Jim got his stubborn mind set on a course of action, his Chief Medical Officer was the only who could get through to him.

McCoy ignored the whisper that it was Spock who called for his presence, not Jim. But, this particular code was different and McCoy bristled at the obvious meaning that Jim was in need of an ‘appropriate outlet’.

“Understood. McCoy out.” McCoy turned around in the hallway, heading toward the bridge rather than in the direction of his personal quarters.

When McCoy stalked out of the turbolift onto the bridge, he immediately noticed that Jim saw him. As a Captain, he was always aware of who was on his bridge, but Jim turned his attention back to Uhura without acknowledging McCoy’s presence. Jim was leaning over the console, hip perched on the arm of her chair. By the tense expression on her face, Jim was getting a little too friendly.

McCoy glanced over to Spock’s station. The half-Vulcan appeared to be working and unaware of Jim’s attention to Uhura, but Jim knows knew otherwise. He could read behind the lines. Spock was jealous and perturbed.

As McCoy got closer, he snapped, “Jim.”

Jim looked up and McCoy quickly catalogue catalogued his face. He noticed by the five o’clock shadow that Jim hadn’t shaved recently. Jim made a habit of shaving everyday and that meant Jim had been on the bridge God knows how long. He could also tell by the slight way Jim’s eyelids drooped that he was exhausted. But, it was the tension in Jim’s body that spoke to him most loudly. Jim was radiating sexual tension.

“Doctor,” Jim greeted him coolly.

“Captain, I need to talk to you… privately.” He intentionally used Jim’s title knowing how Jim’s ego would pick up on hearing it, especially since McCoy seldom used it. McCoy made sure his tone was one that would peak Jim’s interest.

The bait worked and Jim straightened up, taking a step forward. His head was cocked to the side, considering McCoy, but then he turned back to Uhura.

“I don’t need your assistance or supervision,” she told him. “I never did.”

Jim flashed a leer first at her, then to Spock. “Worn out?”

Before Spock could react, McCoy grabbed Jim’s wrist, stepping in close. He hissed into Jim’s ear so one else would hear. “That’s enough, kid. Let’s go.”

Jim wrenched his wrist from McCoy’s grasp. “Mr. Spock, you have the conn.”

McCoy followed Jim to the turbolift, sighing inwardly that the kid was in a right mood tonight.

When the doors slid shut, Jim glared at McCoy and he saw a flash of insecurity behind the anger. “Don’t question my authority in front of the crew.”

McCoy huffed and pointed out, “I always question your authority.”

The jest worked because Jim’s expression softened a little. “Asshole.”

“I think it’ll say that on my gravestone.”

Once the turbolift doors opened, Jim followed McCoy towards the older man’s quarters. Jim ran his hand lovingly along Enterprise’s interior wall. “Did you know when they were designing her that they wanted to defer from the tradition of having the Captain and senior officer quarters apart from the enlisted crew’s quarters? Command thought it might be optimal for control to have officers quarters dispersed amongst the crew’s quarters.” He grinned at McCoy. Jim had researched every aspect of his ship from conceptual design to choice in bolts. “Brass didn’t want to slum in the end.”

“Fascinating,” McCoy did a flawless impression of Spock’s catch phrase.

Jim laughed and clapped McCoy on the shoulder as he punched the access code to his room. With his regular swagger, Jim went into McCoy’s quarters first as if he owned the place. The truth was he hadn’t been to McCoy’s quarters more than a handful of times and then only briefly.

The room was practical featuring a bed, desk with console, closet, and tiny bathroom. McCoy had been more than happy to take a smaller room in the interior of the ship in order to ensure he had no window. His only concession to creature comforts was replacing the standard issue chair with a plush, leather chair that was worn, but comfortable as sin.

Another personal touch was the imager on his bedside table with Joanna’s picture. Jim had given it to him after the incident in their first year together as a peace offering. What Jim didn’t know was that hidden in his bedside dresser was a picture of him in dress uniform taken after he received his medal.

Jim flopped down on the lounge chair, sprawling out in the way natural to him. He often sprawled like that over the Captain’s chair.

“So?” Jim prompted.

“If you hit on Uhura like that again she will hurt you. Have a little respect, man.”

“I respect Uhura.”

“I meant for yourself.”

It might have seemed contrary to start his seduction of Jim with an insult, but McCoy knew it was exactly the thing to rile him up. Without fail, challenging and bickering with Jim was akin to a mating call. Right on cue Jim’s body tensed the way McCoy knew it would and Jim glared at him. McCoy felt like a drink, but now was not the time. Sex with Jim when he was like this could be compared to attempting to tame a feral creature. McCoy stepped closer to the lounging chair, noting how Jim’s gaze followed him warily. Now to hit Jim’s ultimate weakness that would give Jim exactly what he craved, but never asked for. McCoy crouched down beside the leather chair until he was face level with Jim.

“No matter what, Jim…” He reached out and cupped Jim’s face, running his fingertips carefully over his cheek. “No matter what, I’ll always respect you.”

Jim made a wounded sound in the back of his throat and his eyelids slid closed. McCoy kept caressing Jim’s face and reached up with his other hand to mirror the action on the other cheek.

“It’s been tough, huh? All that responsibility… everyone looking to you for answers,” McCoy whispered and felt Jim nod slightly in his grasp. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. But, you’ve done so good, kid. I’m proud of you. Pike certainly is, and your dad... your old man would be so proud of you.”

In their years together, McCoy had learned that Jim’s deepest desire was to belong and be wanted. Being the son of a hero was crushing with its expectations and legacy. McCoy also knew that Jim’s mother had loved him in her own way, but also couldn’t look at Jim without seeing her dead husband. It had been easier for her to use the excuse of making a living to be away from home for extended periods and leave Jim in the care of his step-father. Jim never got over that rejection. It had all led to a young man with so much potential, but weighed down by numerous issues.

Jim’s eyelids snapped open, uncertainty and longing written all over his expression.

“You’re a great Captain,” McCoy reassured him. This time his thumb caressed over Jim’s bottom lip. He wanted to tell Jim that he had missed him, but that wasn’t what Jim needed to hear right now. McCoy let his expression and tone slip into a reproaching one. “You’ve been neglecting yourself…” When Jim made a protesting noise, Bones cut it off with a point glare. He could tell the damn kid how much he worried about him, but that wasn’t the approach that would work best. “If you want to be a great Captain, you have to take care of yourself. You can’t give Command any reason to take the Enterprise from you.”

Jim’s eyes widened. “I won’t let anyone take her from me.”

“I know. You’ve earned all of this.”

McCoy felt it was time for the physical reassurances that Jim understood best when words couldn’t get through that thick skull. McCoy leaned into to kiss Jim and Jim met him halfway, their lips crushing together.

“Slow,” McCoy chided. “Take it slow.”

It only took Jim moment to launch himself over the side of the lounge chair and knock McCoy to the floor. Even exhausted, Jim was quick, but McCoy didn’t fight back this time. Jim had McCoy laid out on the floor, pinned beneath his body weight.

“I know what this about…” Jim growled the accusation, face to face with McCoy.

“Jim…” It was gentle, but warning.

“No.” Jim pushed against McCoy’s shoulders. His expression was sullen, mood changing suddenly as it often did. “I know about the communication from Command. I was going to talk to you about it, but…” Now his expression was guilty and he fisted his hands in McCoy’s shirt. “But, things came up. I’ve been meaning to come see you, but something always came up. I know Command offered you another position.”

The communication in question had come from Starfleet Command thirty-six hours ago. It was sent on a secure channel, but McCoy wasn’t surprised that Jim was monitoring communications aboard his ship. He was more than capable of hacking into the communiqués. The message had been a strongly worded offer of a position planetside.

“They’re afraid I’m going to crack aboard a space vessel. I was supposed to be assigned on some backwater planet where I can’t cause trouble,” McCoy snorted in self-deprecation. “No doubt I also have my punishment due for sneaking you onboard. As long as they word it as an offer, and not an order… I’ll say no.”

“You can’t leave,” Jim demanded. “That’s an order.”

McCoy’s couldn’t help but smile at Jim’s surety. As if Starfleet Command wouldn’t cross him.

“Golden boy you might be, kid, but if they want me gone…”

“No.”

McCoy was expecting Jim to lash out, but instead Jim shifted down and laid his head on McCoy’s chest, over his heart. He held onto McCoy in a desperate hold.

“You promised,” Jim reminded him. The promise had been to stay by his side.

McCoy began to run his fingers through Jim’s hair, his heart breaking a little more. Just when he thought he had had enough, Jim went and did something like this. The damn kid revealed his vulnerability. McCoy was always a sucker for that.

McCoy settled his palm on the back of Jim’s neck, noting his skin was warm and sweaty. Looking up at the ceiling, he sighed. “You’re stuck with me.”

“Good, I can’t worry about you leaving. There’s already so much to do…” Jim confessed after a deep breath. “Everyone wants to talk to me. I… did you know the crew is supposed to make appointments to see me? It’s procedure. I said I would never be like that. I told myself I wouldn’t be that kind of Captain. I promised myself I would have an open door policy.”

McCoy kept rubbing the back of Jim’s neck, making it a massage now. “You’ve been busy. I understand.”

“They look at me as if I know everything. They’ve all lost friends, or even lovers, when the other cadets were killed.” Jim rubbed his cheek against McCoy’s shirt, his body starting to relax. “I know a good Captain’s supposed to listen, so I do. Even in my off duty hours, I listen to them and you know what sucks, Bones? I can’t do shit. I can’t make it better. I can’t bring anyone they’ve lost back from the dead. Did you know when Chekov said he was seventeen, that he’s barely seventeen? Most of them are just kids…”

Kids being led by a kid. A breathtaking, gifted kid, but still a kid in McCoy’s eyes. The youngest Captain in the history of Starfleet with the weight of the world on his shoulders. A young man who had seen too much, too soon. There was nothing McCoy could do or say to make it better. Jim listened to the others, so he could listen to Jim.

“You’re the one person I know doesn’t need me,” Jim said with relief. “I know you’re not going to fall apart and can handle all of this. You’re not going to leave your post if you haven’t had the ear of the Captain or seen me recently. I can trust you with the medical end of things completely. You don’t know what a relief it is not to worry about one more person…”

So Jim hadn’t been avoiding him. He’d been overwhelmed and pretended everything was fine. His faith in McCoy’s abilities were misplaced as far as McCoy was concerned, but he wasn’t going to tell Jim that. He was a doctor, not a saint, or even a particularly redeemable human being in his personal opinion. Jim who portrayed a strong and sure Captain, was loosing it in his arms. Being a liar was far from the worst of McCoy’s regrets.

“You’re right,” McCoy agreed and hoped his voice sounded even. It was gruff and low. “I can take care of myself, but right now I want to take care of you.”

“I don’t need taking care of,” Jim protested automatically.

“I know,” McCoy was placating him, but neither of them really cared at the moment. He moved and Jim let himself be rolled onto his back. With McCoy sitting astride Jim’s hips, he started to undo the younger man’s shirt. “I understand the only woman for you these days is the Enterprise.”

Jim let the Captain’s uniform tailored to fit him be stripped from his upper torso. “I’m not going to sleep with my crew. I figure I can hold out between ports.”

“Uh huh.”

With the shirt gone, McCoy did a quick check. He noted that Jim still had lean muscle, but McCoy’s appraisal showed he had lost weight. He made a mental note to make sure an extra sweet treat was included with Jim’s meals to tempt him.

“What do you want, Jim?” McCoy asked, running his hand over Jim’s chest in a teasing way he knew Jim liked.

“I…” Jim bit his bottom lip and appeared to be holding back, fighting his desires. “You’re a part of my crew.”

“Bullshit…” McCoy reached down and grabbed Jim’s cock through his pants. “Don’t give me that noble bullshit. I’m more than crew.”

McCoy had no definition of what he was to Jim, but he knew it was more than a crew member. He kept Jim pinned to the floor, even though Jim attempted a few half hearted struggles. Quickly he divested Jim of his pants and tight grey shorts, pulling them just to his thighs. Jim was already hard and leaking. Shifting his position, McCoy moved quickly and bent down to kiss down Jim’s stomach slowly progressing towards his target.

Jim fisted his hands into McCoy’s hair and pushed him down with a whine in the back of his throat. In one swift movement, McCoy had Jim’s cock deep in his mouth. Jim pumped his hips up, keening low from the weeks of only his hand and fantasies to get him off. McCoy knew exactly what Jim liked and it didn’t take much. It only took that talent mouth to give Jim want he wanted and dreamed about.

Jim cried out, body tense and shaking. Flopping back onto the floor he breathed heavily and still holding onto McCoy’s hair. McCoy was being partially cruel, knowing how sensitive Jim was after he came, but continuing to lick.

Jim tugged on his hair in protest. “Bones…”

McCoy finally pulled off and Jim shuddered. McCoy was kissing his lower stomach.

“You can fuck me now,” Jim offered, already starting to roll over.

McCoy stopped Jim from rolling over and crawled up his body, pulling him into an embrace. “No need to.”

Jim settled his face into the crook of McCoy’s neck, rubbing against the ever present stubble. “Yeah?”

McCoy shrugged and grumbled, “I missed you, asshole.”

“I missed you, too,” the whisper was barely audible, but there was no hiding the fondness in Jim’s tone.

“C’mon, bed.” McCoy knew if they didn’t move now he would be spending the night on the floor. “I’m too old for this.”

Jim took McCoy’s hand and allowed himself to be pulled up, using his free hand to hold his pants up. McCoy didn’t let go of his hand and started to tug him toward the bed.

Jim glanced at the door. “I should probably get back to the Captain’s quarters…”

“I’ll fucking punch you out cold if you try.”

McCoy shoved Jim onto the narrow bed. He smirked when he heard Jim squawk indignantly. Even though he could barely stand, McCoy stripped off Jim’s boots, pants, and underwear. Only when Jim was settled onto the bed, sprawled over the majority of it, did McCoy finally strip off. He crawled in next to Jim and kept Jim against the wall.

“If you try to get out, you’ll have to crawl over me,” McCoy informed him and kissed Jim lightly. “I’ll wake up, then I’ll punch your fucking lights out. And for good measure, I’ll give you a hypospray sedative on your ass. So, stay put.”

Holding onto him, McCoy thought it was odd that Jim didn’t start bitching. He thought Jim had drifted off to sleep, when he heard Jim murmur, “A good Captain shouldn’t have to rely on anyone.”

“That’s what makes you a great Captain. You’re learning otherwise.”

END.


End file.
